Method and apparatus for setting the color of dyed tubular fabrics



May 9, 1967 H. SCHNEIDER METHOD AND APPARATUS FORSETTING THE COLOR OF DYED TUBULAR FABRICS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 14, 1964 INVENTOR HARRY SCHNEIDER JJLM; MW, JWWQLZM ATTORNEYS May 9 1967 H SCHNE DER 3,318,114

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SETTING THE COLOR OF DYED TUBULAR FABRICS Filed Aug. 14, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 50 i 4 O H i \1 5 I K Kim B INVENTOR HAR RY SCH NEWER ATTORNEYS United States Patent ice 3,318,114 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SETTING THE COLOR OF DYED TUBULAR FABRICS Harry Schneider, Orwigsburg, Pa., assignor to Pottsville Bleaching and Dyeing Company, Port Carbon, Pa., a

corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 14, 1964, Ser. No. 389,759 2 Claims. (Ci. 68-5) This invention relates broadly to the manufacture of dyed fabrics and, more particularly, to the setting of wet dye color on tubular fabrics.

In accordance with processes which are now known and used, both fiat and tubular fabrics are dyed and the color set by passing the fabric through a dye beck containing a boiling dye solution. This process has many disadvantages, among which are the length of time required, this being of the order of six and one-half hours for a non-fast color and longer for a fast color, and the great quantities of water required. The dyeing and color setting of flat fabrics may also be successfully accomplished by steaming between the dyeing and drying steps, but until this invention it has never been possible to set the color of dyed tubular fabric by steaming. The reasons for the failure, to date, to successfully set dyes of tubular fabrics by steaming are many and varied, but are basically due to the inherent structure and operation of known steaming cabinets and devices, which do not lend themselves to the steaming of tubular fabrics. Among these inherent factors which limit the utility of such devices for steaming tubular fabrics are the following. First, known steamers cannot effectively retain high pressures without damaging tubular goods, for the reason that in such known devices steam is sealed in the steamer chamber by a water seal consisting of water collected at the bottom of the steamer chamber to prevent the escape of steam. It will be obvious that if such a seal were used, tubular fabric passed into the chamber would be required to pass through the water seal and between rollers sufilciently tightly engaged with each other to prevent the escape of water from the seal, resulting in damage to the tubular goods, including the imprint of edge marks on the goods. Another disadvantage of known steamers is that the steam may condense and spot the fabric. Further, known steamers do not permit even coloring, because of uneven temperatures within the cabinet. Certain of these defects are inherent in all known steaming devices, but while they do not preclude the use of such devices in the dyeing of flat fabrics they do prevent entirely their use in the dyeing of tubular fabrics.

It has therefore been the principal object of the present invention to provide a successful method of setting the dye applied to tubular fabrics by steaming the fabrics between the dyeing and drying steps, and to provide apparatus for accomplishing this.

The method and apparatus provided by the invention are described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of the steaming unit provided by the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lower part of the steaming unit;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the steaming unit, and

FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the steaming unit, taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

By this invention I have provided a method of setting dye previously padded to tubular fabric, and in accordance with this method the fabric, with the wet dye padded thereto, is passed in continuous movement through a 3,318,114 Patented May 9, 1967 chamber over a tortuous path which is of great length with respect to the volume and greatest interior dimension of the chamber. The chamber is supplied with superheated steam and is externally heated to maintain the interior atmosphere of superheated steam and this, in conjunction with the relatively small. interior volume of the chamber with respect to the length of the path of travel of the tubular fabric through the chamber, insures that the fabric is constantly subjected to superheated steam within the chamber for a time sufficient to set the color. The steam within the chamber is very, but not completely, dry and contains the small amount of moisture required to set the dye, which condition of steam is referred to hereinafter as superheated steam. The maintenance of a high temperature on the interior walls of the chamber eliminates most condensation and the deleterious effects thereof.

The steaming apparatus provided by the invention, which successfully sets wet dye applied to elongated pieces of tubular fabric, is illustrated in the drawings, and it will be understood that in accordance with the invention this steaming unit is disposed to receive wet dyed tubular fabric from the apparatus which pads the dye to the fabric, and to supply the steamed fabric to a conventional dryer. The steaming unit comprises a box-like chamber A preferably in the form of a rectangular parallelepiped of greater height than width and breadth, and being defined by front wall 2, rear wall 4-, side walls 6, 8, top wall 10, and a V-shaped bottom wall 12 which is provided with spaced apertures 14, 16 at its sides which are narrow and of sufficient size only to permit the passage into the chamber of the tubular fabric B which is to be steamed.

Means are provided by the invention for guiding a moving length of tubular fabric from the location where dye is padded onto the fabric, into the steamer chamber, through the chamber in a tortuous path which is greatly elongated with respect to the interior volume of the chamber and its maximum internal dimension, and out of the chamber to the drying location. Such means comprise a first, or intake, roller 18 which is disposed outside the chamber and below the bottom chamber opening 14 where it is rotatably supported on brackets 20, 22 which depend from the steamer chamber. Within the chamber and at the upper part thereof there are rotatably mounted two spaced, parallel guide rollers 24, 26 which are also parallel to the intake guide roller 18. Each of these upper guide rollers is journalled in the walls of the chamber and has a shaft extending outwardly of the chamber and these shafts carry pulleys which are connected by an endless belt 28, as shown in-FIG. 1. One of the shafts carries a drive pulley 30 which is driven by a motor (not shown) through belting 32. At the lower part of the chamber, just above the V-shaped bottom plate 12 there is rotatably mounted a third roller 34 which is parallel to the upper rollers 24, 26 and is positioned midway between them. An output roller 36 is positioned below the second, or output, opening 16 at the bottom of the chamber and is mounted for rotation by having spindles on its ends positioned in aligned vertical slots in brackets 38, 40 which depend from the steamer chamber.

Means are provided by the invention for producing a super-heated steam atmosphere within the chamber A, whereby the dye with which the tubular fabric is impregnated is successfully and satisfactorily set within a short period of time and regardless whether the dye is a fast or non-fast color, thus for the first time providing means for setting the dye of tubular fabric by steaming. Such means comprise, first, means for producing a superheated steam atmosphere within the chamber A and, secondly, means for heating the exterior of the chamber in order 3 to maintain the desired superheated steam atmosphere therein.

In order to provide the superheated steam atmosphere within the chamber, the steamer is provided adjacent its lower end, above the inlet and outlet openings 14, 16 for the moving tubular fabric, with a steam manifold 50' which surrounds the steamer chamber and is disposed outside the four vertical walls 2, 4, 6, 8 thereof. This manifold acts as a steam blender unit and is supplied with super heated steam, preferably at 240 F., through main steam inlet pipe 52 and branch pipes 54. The interior of the manifold is open to the interior of chamber A through opening 56 which is defined by the walls 2, 4, 6, 8 of the steamer chamber and by a deflector plate 58 which is spaced inwardly from the adjacent wall and is shaped to deflect steam passing from the manifold to the chamber A and direct it in an upward direction within the chamber so that the entire chamber is filled with superheated steam. To assist in filling the chamber with steam and keeping it filled, the chamber is provided at its upper end with an outlet pipe 59 which is controlled by a manual valve which is normally left slightly open so that a small amount of steam escapes. The provision of this vent at the upper part of the chamber facilitates the upward movement of the steam within the chamber and, as stated, insures that the chamber will constantly be filled with a homogeneous atmosphere of superheated steam.

The means for applying external heat to the chamber in order to maintain the superheated steam atmosphere therein comprises an external jacket C for each of the vertical and top walls of the chamber, and means for supplying loW pressure steam to each jacket. This jacketing comprises a hollow, generally flat chamber disposed externally of each one of the walls 2, 4, 6, 8 of the chamber A and substantially or entirely covering the wall. As most clearly illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings each of the walls 2, 4, 6, 8 of the steamer chamber forms the inner wall of the jacket for that wall, the other walls of each jacket being the outer wall 60 which is parallel to and spaced outwardly from a wall of the chamber, the upper and lower walls 62, 64 and the side walls 66, 68. A jacket is also provided for the top of the steamer and is defined by upper wall 70 which is parallel to and spaced upwardly from the top wall 10 of the steamer chamber, front and back walls 72, 74 and side Walls 76, 78. There are thus provided four steam jackets C, each of which substantially or entirely covers one of the vertical walls of the chamber A, and a fifth steam jacket C which substantially or entirely covers the upper end of the cham ber, thus substantially entirely enclosing the chamber with jacketing. Low temperature steam is supplied to the five jackets through pipe 90 and suitable branch pipes.

The bottom plate 12 is provided with a condensate drain pipe 1% for any condensate which may form in the interior of the chamber A, and other suitable condensate drain pipes are provided for the superheated steam manifold 50 and the steam jackets C.

Thermometers for indicating the temperatures in the upper and lower parts of the interior of the steam chamher A are provided and are illustrated at 110, 112.

In the manufacture of dyed tubular fabric the liquid dye is padded onto the fabric by known and conventional processes which do not form part of this invention. As stated hereinbefore, it has not heretofore been possible to set, by steaming, the dye applied to tubular fabric. However, the present invention for' the first time makes it possible to set the wet dye previously applied to the tubular fabric by steaming, this being accomplished by the method and the apparatus described in this specification. In the practice of the method and the use of the apparatus provided by this invention a continuous length of tubular fabric to which liquid dye has been padded is passed under the external roller 18 of the steamer provided by this invention, and from thence through the intake port 14 at the lower part of the steamer and then vertically upwardly within the chamber A to the upper part there- '-of where it is passed over the guide roller 26, then downwardly to the lower part of the chamber and under the lower guide roller 34, then upwardly to the upper part of the chamber and over the second upper guide roller 24, then downwardly through the chamber, where it passes outwardly through the outlet port 16 and below the external guide roller 36, from which it passes to the drying unit.

The upper guide rollers 24, 26 are continuously rotated by the belting 28, 32 and pulley 3t) and the tubular fabric is therefore continuously moved into and through and out of the chamber A. Within the chamber the tubular fabric moves along a tortuous path which is very long with respect to both the internal volume and the maximum internal dimension of the chamber A. This relation between the great length of the path of movement of the tubular fabric within the chamber and the relatively small volume and maximum internal dimension of the chamber itself permits the tubular fabric to be subjected to a highly uniform and homogeneous atmosphere of superheated steam for a period of time sufficient to set the color. This would not be possible if the internal volume and maximum internal dimension of the chamber were large with respect to the length of the path of movement of the tubular fabric through the chamber.

An atmosphere of superheated steam having a small moisture content, as described, is maintained constantly within the chamber, and this is effected by introducing superheated steam into the manifold 50 at the lower part of the chamber, which acts as a steam blender and from which the superheated steam is directed upwardly into the chamber, filling the same and creating and maintaining a homogeneous superheated dry steam atmosphere therein. The maintenance of this atmosphere within the chamber is aided and assisted by the provision of the outlet vent 59 in the upper end of the chamber, which facilitates movement of steam into and through the chamber. The steam jackets which cover the vertical walls and the top of the steam chamber, and to which low pressure steam is supplied, heat the walls and top of the steam chamber and thus assist in maintaining the interior atmosphere of superheated steam.

By reason of the method and apparatus provided by the invention dyes applied to tubular fabrics may be set by steaming, which has not heretofore been possible in the art of manufacturing dyed tubular fabric. Among the principal reasons for this successful setting of dyes of tubular fabrics are the relation between the relatively small internal volume of the chamber and the relatively long path of travel of the tubular fabric therethrough, the novel method of injecting the high temperature steam into the steam chamber and slowly passing it therethrough, and the provision of external heating jackets which maintain the high temperature within the chamber, thus substantially preventing condensation within the chamber. This prevention of condensation not only eliminates the need for a water seal but also eliminates a principal cause of uneven color and spotting of the fabric. As it is not necessary to pass the tubular fabric between tightly pressed rollers the tubular fabric passes entirely through the steamer Without creasing or delaminating.

I have found that excellent results in the setting of dyes of tubular fabric are produced by causing the fabric to remain in the steamer for a period of 30 seconds to 1 /2 minutes. The speed of passage of the fabric through the steamer is regulated, of course, by the operation of the drive belting and pulleys 28, 3t 32 and will be dependent on the type of dye and color being used.

It will be understood that, instead of the roller drive means 28, 30, 32 which has been described, other means for driving the rollers and moving the tubular fa-bric through the steamer chamber may be provided. For example, all of the rollers may be driven.

The method and apparatus provided by the invention have been found to set color successfully on cotton, synthetic and other fabrics.

While I have described and illustrated one form which my invention may take and certain steps for carrying out the method according to the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates that modifications of the disclosed apparatus, and other method steps and modifications of those described may all be made and practiced without departing in any way from the spirit or scope of the invention, for the limits of which reference must be made to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for steaming elongated pieces of wet dyed tubular fabric to set the dye without wrinkling or delaminating, comprising an enclosed chamber of greater vertical than horizontal interior dimension having inlet and outlet openings at the lower part thereof, means for supporting a continuous length of tubular fabric within said chamber and for moving it into the chamber through said inlet opening, then through the chamber, and then out of the chamber through the outlet opening, said supporting means within the chamber being constructed and arranged to provide a tortuous path for the fabric which has greatly elongated reaches vertically of the interior of the chamber, means for introducing superheated steam containing a small amount of moisture into said chamber, and means for maintaining a homogeneous superheated steam atmosphere within the chamber during the passage of the tubular fabric therethrough.

2. Apparatus for steaming elongated pieces of wet dyed tubular fabric to set the dye without wrinkling or delaminating, comprising an enclosed chamber of greater vertical than horizontal interior dimension, spaced parallel inlet and outlet openings at the bottom of said chamber for admitting and delivering continuous pieces of tubular fabric, spaced parallel rollers at the upper and lower parts of the interior of the chamber providing a path over which the tubular fabric is trained, means for rotating the rollers to move the tubular fabric along said path, the number and positioning of said rollers being such that the path provided thereby is greatly elongated with respect to the interior volume of the chamber and its maximum internal dimension, steam inlet means at the lower part of the chamber, means for causing steam introduced into the chamber through said steam inlet means to be directed upwardly within the chamber into contact with the fabric therein, and means external to the chamber for heating it to maintain the steam atmosphere therein without condensation.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 565,927 8/1896 Rusden 685 1,403,990 1/ 1922 Turner et al. 685 1,758,234 5/1930 Mijer 685 X 1,907,429 5/1933 Masland 8-149.3 2,641,119 6/1953 Jacoby 685 2,777,750 1/1957 Sprague et al. 685 X 2,833,136 5/1958 Prince et al. 685 2,973,635 3/1961 Speers 685 3,027,740 4/1962 Sonnino 685 FOREIGN PATENTS 236,620 7/1925 Great Britain.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR STEAMING ELONGATED PIECES OF WET DYED TUBULAR FABRIC TO SET THE DYE WITHOUT WRINKLING OR DELAMINATING, COMPRISING AN ENCLOSED CHAMBER OF GREATER VERTICAL THAN HORIZONTAL INTERIOR DIMENSION HAVING INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS AT THE LOWER PART THEREOF, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A CONTINUOUS LENGTH OF TUBULAR FABRIC WITHIN SAID CHAMBER AND FOR MOVING IT INTO THE CHAMBER THROUGH SAID INLET OPENING, THEN THROUGH THE CHAMBER, AND THEN OUT OF THE CHAMBER THROUGH THE OUTLET OPENING, SAID SUPPORTING MEANS WITHIN THE CHAMBER BEING CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED TO PROVIDE A TORTUOUS PATH FOR THE FABRIC WHICH 